City of Muskegon Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Audit

City of Muskegon Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Audit

October 12, 2023

PROJECT NAME:
City of Muskegon
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Audit

DATE OF ISSUANCE:
October 11, 2023

DATE PROPOSAL DUE:
November 14, 2023

ISSUING OFFICE:
City of Muskegon
City Manager’s Office
c/o – LeighAnn Mikesell
933 Terrace Street
Muskegon, MI 49440
Tel. (231) 724-6724

INTRODUCTION TO PROJECT & BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The City of Muskegon joined the Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE), a national network of government working to achieve racial equity and advance opportunities for all. We know that racial inequities exist across all indicators for success, and we know that government played a central role in the creation and maintenance of racial inequity. GARE was developed to help governments be intentional, to strategically intervene with the goal of transforming our society. The city established a cross functional Core Team responsible for designing, coordinating, and organizing racial equity plans and activities. This Core Team is the city’s engine for change.

The Core Team drafted the city’s Equity Vision Statement: Muskegon is an ethnically diverse city where we embrace differences and value relationships, access to city services and programs is universal, and people are engaged in community building. The diversity of our community is reflected in city businesses, events, boards, commissions and staff. The team reviewed the results of an all-employee survey which was implemented to assess the knowledge, skills, and experiences of the city’s employees related to race and equity. This survey established a baseline from which to track our progress over time.

Next, the Core Team participated in visioning exercises to help establish goals related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Team members considered desired outcomes for our community and what an equitable community looks like. With a vision set, the team reviewed the process outlined by GARE for getting to equity: starting at the end, relying on data to make decisions, measuring community indicators and trends, understanding what can influence data trends toward racial equity, defining our plan for action, and partnering with other agencies.

The team sees our next step toward making change as reviewing our current policies, programs, and practices to understand where change is needed.

SCOPE OF SERVICES

The city is seeking proposals from prospective consultants who can audit the city’s policies, programs, and practices for their impact on equity. City employees can be contacted through the audit process to better understand how policies are implemented.

As a local government, the City of Muskegon has a number of policies that govern various aspects of the city’s work. Policies cover topics from internal functions to how city property can be used and sold, how the public can participate in meetings, how the city can receive donations to setting rules for residential services. Human resources functions are governed by Civil Service Rules and Regulations. In addition, the city is responsible for administering grant programs funded by other governmental units and private companies. Each of these grant programs has a set of policies and procedures that must be followed. Many of the city’s written policies have not been updated in many years.

It is expected that 100 policies will require review.

City of Muskegon Diversity Equity and Inclusion Audit RFP